Free Murder Passes the Buck by Deb Baker

hunh? ”
    “ Piece of cake. Onni didn ’ t stand a chance. He ’ s coming to my place and I ’ m going to make him something to eat and we ’ re going to rent a movie. ”
    “ Sounds like a cheap date to me. I ’ d make him take you out, ” Kitty suggested. She
     
    shifted her hips and everyone in the truck had to readjust. “ Either of you have anything for my rummage sale? ” she asked.
    “ Who has a rummage sale in November? That ’ s what I want to know, ” Cora Mae said.
    “ I ’ m desperate for cash. It ’ s the only way of making some quick. You know I lost my job. Gertie, did you put together a few boxes like you said you would? ”
    “ They ’ re in the shed, mostly books, odds and ends. I ’ ll drop the stuff off. ”
    Then I told them about Blaze and the guardianship hearing. I remembered too late that Kitty is Stonely ’ s walking newspaper and there ’ s no way this isn ’ t going to be all over town.
    “ Impose harm on others? ” Kitty hooted. “ Where is he coming up with that? ”
    Cora Mae was angry. “ How your own son who lives on your land free could do this … makes me glad I never had kids. ”
    Friends are wonderful. They always stick up for you and say just the right things. Sharing my problems with them made me feel better instantly.
    “ We have to fix you up before you go to court, ” Cora Mae continued.
    “ What needs fixing up? I ’ m fine just the way I am. ”
     
    “ Oh, Gertie, you ’ re a little … ” Cora Mae was struggling for the right word.
    “ A little what? ” I wanted to know
    “ Aggressive. ”
    “ Aggressive! ” I shouted. “ What ’ s that supposed to mean? I ’ ve never been aggressive a day in my life. ”
    “ Keep your eyes on the road. ”
    “ What do you think, Kitty? Am I aggressive? ”
    “ Nothing ’ s wrong with being outspoken, ” Kitty said. I glanced across Cora Mae and saw Kitty ’ s pin-curl-less corkscrews bobbing.
    “ But you need a wardrobe overhaul, ” Kitty added.
    “ Something soft and pink with ruffles to wear to court, ” Cora Mae agreed.
    “ I ’ ll eat rabbit pellets before you get me into something pink with ruffles, ” I said.
    I dropped Cora Mae off first. As soon as she slammed the truck door and walked away, Kitty said, “ I know why you did that back there. ”
    “ What? Back where? ” I turned around and looked out the back window of the truck.
    “ The scene you made with Chester ’ s son. I think you did that on purpose. ”
    I opened my eyes wide in mock surprise. “ Now why would I do that? ”
     
    “ Maybe to flush out the murderer. You think he ’ ll sit tight as long as everyone thinks it was an accident. You think if he knows you ’ re starting to nose around, he might get scared and do something foolish. ”
    “ A picayune act, ” I said, pleased I had found an opportunity to use my new word.
    “ On the contrary, ” Kitty said. “ It was a fulgent act and very apropos considering the circumstances. ”
    I stared at her. She didn ’ t seem to notice. Fulgent? I cleared my throat. “ Do you think he was murdered, too? ”
    “ Probably not, but I ’ d really like to ride with you. ”
    “ Ride with me? ”
    “ I hear you and Cora Mae are starting an investigation business and I ’ d like to join. ”
    I thought about having to stuff Kitty into the cab of my truck every time we went to interrogate a suspect. A private eye has to blend into the woodwork. Kitty is like a semi coming down a logging road with the logs flying off the back end. You can ’ t miss her.
    “ I ’ ll think about it, but this isn ’ t a club, ” I said in my least aggressive tone of voice. “ You can ’ t just join anytime you want to. ”
    Besides, I didn ’ t want to have to start
     
    car rying a dictionary around with me. Show off.
     

    Five
    Word for the Day
    IMPETUOUS (im PECH oo uhs) adj. Acting suddenly with little thought; impulsive.
    Even though I was angry at Blaze and looking for